Electrical connector holding devices



June 25, 1963 J. P. NAZAROW ETAL. 3,094,774

ELECTRICAL CONNECTOR HOLDING DEVICES Filed July 26. 1960 INVENTORS JOHN P. NAZAROW HERBERT F. BAILEY Y M w R s m m R A B 0% D L O D AY HB United States Patent Ofi 3,094,774 Patented June 25, 1963 ice 3,694,774 ELECTRICAL CONNECTOR HOLDING DEVICES John P. Nazarow, Gardner, Herbert F. Bailey, Winchester, and Harold D. Brinsou, Dorchester, Mass, assignors to Raytheon Company, Lexington, Mass a corporation of Delaware Filed July 26, 1960, Ser. No. 45,419 8 Claims. (Cl. 29-203) This invention relates to holding devices and in particular to a device for holding for assembly a portion of a sub-miniature electrical connector comprised of several components.

The present invention is particularly useful in the assembly of sub-miniature connectors and coaxial cables such as, for example, the sub-miniature connector S276MS174 and coaxial cable S723MS097 manufactured by the Cannon Electric Company. Hcretofore no assernbly tool was available for the assembly of such connectors and hand assembly was not feasible on a large scale due to the firmness of a compression spring required in the assembly of the connector and the difilculties inherent with the handling of sub-miniature components. As a result the assembly of sub-miniature connectors was difiicult and tedious and inevitably resulted in damage to the connector despite the proficiency of the assembler. This is necessarily so since the operation consists of engaging or holding a conductor assembly which is substantially covered by a sleeve nut and threading a hex nut portion onto the conductor assembly against a firm compression spring provided within the conductor assembly to insure a satisfactory ground connection for the braided shielded portion of the coaxial cable.

In accordance with the present invention which provides versatile and eflicient means for simply, quickly, and efiiciently assembling such electrical connectors without any danger of damage to the connector, a double-lugged adaptor plug is provided in one jaw of a pair of parallel pliers to receive and hold the conductor assembly and a clearance slot in the other jaw of the pliers is provided to receive the cable and bring the hex nut into proper alignment and operational contact with the threaded portion of the conductor assembly so that it may be threaded thereon. Since the adaptor plug holds the conductor assembly in a fixed and nonrotatable position and operation of the pliers easily brings the hex nut into aligned and operational contact with the threaded portion of the conductor assembly, the connector may be assembled quickly and simply by inexperienced personnel without any danger of a poor electrical connection or damage to the connector.

The novel features that are considered characteristic of this invention are set forth with particularity in the appended claims. The invention itself, however, both as to its organization and method of operation, as well as additional objects and advantages thereof, will best be understood from the following description when taken in connection with the accompanying drawings in which:

FIG. I is a pictorial view of the preferred embodiment of the invention with an assembled connector in position; and

FIG. 2 is an exploded view.

Referring now to FIGS. 1 and 2 there is shown a pair of parallel pliers 11 wherein as the handles 12-13 are squeezed or compressed two oppositely disposed and parallel jaws 14-15 are advanced one toward the other in such a manner as to maintain their parallel relationship. A type of pliers having the requisite operation is the wellknown No. 198-8 /8" parallel pliers manufactured by Sargent & Company of New Haven, Connecticut.

As best shown in FIG. 2, the extreme end portion of jaw 15 is provided with a passage 16 the longitudinal axis of which is perpendicular to the inner surface 17 of jaw 14.

Threaded passage 18 is provided to receive a set screw 19 to removably retain an adaptor plug 21 in passage 16. The adaptor plug 21 is provided with a shank portion 22 adapted to fit in passage 16 and an enlarged head portion 23 having a lower surface 24 adapted for abutting engagement with the inner surface 25 of jaw 15. Outwardly extending and oppositely disposed lugs 26 integral with the exposed end of the adaptor plug 21 are provided and seat in the side slots 27 of the conductor assembly 28. An axial recess 29 and passage 31 is provided in the adaptor plug 21 to receive the conductor assembly 28 and permit lugs 26 to seat in the side slots 27 thereof. Set screw 19 removably retains the adaptor plug 21 in jaw 15 so that different adaptor plugs may be used to mate with different sized conductor assemblies.

Provided in the extreme end portion of jaw 14 is a recess 32 the rear portion of which is concentric about the longitudinal axis of passage 16. The portion of recess 32 adjacent the inner surface 17 of jaw 14 is of such a size as to permit engagement of the inner surface 17 of jaw 14 with the outer surface 33 of the hex nut 34. If desired, recess 32 may be formed oversize and removable sleeves (not shown) provided to reduce the size of recess 32 to that of the diameter of the coaxial cable being used. Utilization of the proper size of sleeve and adaptor plug will be found to be highly advantageous where it is necessary to assemble many different sizes of connectors.

In order to prepare a coaxial cable and connector for assembly the outer insulation of the coaxial cable 35 is stripped back a suitable distance to expose the shielding braid. Thereafter the hex nut 34, sleeve nut 37, and compression spring 39 are slipped onto the cable 35. The small metal retaining sleeve 40 is slipped over the shielding braid which is combed out, trimmed and soldered to the retaining sleeve 40. The inner insulation 41 is then trimmed back to within a small distance of the soldered braid to expose the inner conductor 36. With the adaptor plug 21 in position as shown in FIG. 1 the hollow center probe 42 of the conductor assembly 28 is inserted into passage 31 of shank 22 of the adaptor plug 21 so that the two lugs 26 of the adaptor plug 21 seat in the side slots 27 of the conductor assembly 28 to hold it in aligned and nonrotatable position. Thereafter the exposed inner conductor 41 of the coaxial cable 35 is inserted into the center probe 42 of the conductor assembly 28, the spring 39, sleeve nut 37, and hex nut 34 are slid down the coaxial cable 35 into position, and the cable inserted in recess 32 in jaw 14. Compression of the handles 12-43 of the parallel pliers 11 will advance the hex nut 34 into an aligned andoperative position for engagement of the internal threads 43 of the hex nut with the external threads 44 of the conductor assembly. Since the adaptor plug 21 holds the conductor assembly 28 against rotation and the hex nut 34 must of necessity be aligned with the conductor assembly a small open-ended wrench 45 or the like may be used to securely thread the hex nut onto the conductor assembly and thereby easily and simply complete the assembly of the connector without any danger of damage thereto.

While the present invention has been described in its preferred embodiment, it is realized that modifications may be made, and it is desired that it be understood that no limitations of the invention are intended other than may be imposed by the scope of the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. In a holder for assembling electrical connectors the combination comprising: first and second oppositely disposed jaws, said first jaw having a passage at one end and said second jaw having a recess at its extreme end the rear portion of which is concentric with the longitudinal axis of said passage; means for advancing said jaws toward each other in parallel relationship; a hollow adaptor plug having a shank portion located in said passage and a head portion located between said jaws; and two oppositely disposed lugs integral with the exposed end of said head portion and extending toward said recess.

2. In a holder for assembling electrical connectors the combination comprising: first and second oppositely disposed jaws each having an inner surface parallel one with the other, said first jaw having a passage at one end perpendicular to its inner surface and said second jaw having a recess at its extreme end perpendicular to its inner surface the rear portion of which is concentric with the longitudinal axis of said passage; means for advancing said jaws toward each other in parallel relationship; a hollow adapter plug having a shank portion located in said passage and a head portion located between said jaws; and two oppositely disposed lugs integral with the exposed end of said head portion and extending toward said recess.

3. In a holder for assembling electrical connectors the combination comprising: first and second oppositely disposed jaws each having an inner surface parallel one with the other, said first jaw having a passage at one end perpendicular to its inner surface and said second jaw having a recess at its extreme end perpendicular to its inner surface the rear portion of which is concentric with the longitudinal axis of said passage; means connected to said jaws remote from said passage and said recess for advancing said jaws toward each other in parallel relationship; a hollow adaptor plug having a shank portion located in said passage and an enlarged head portion located between said jaws concentric with the longitudinal axis of said passage; and two oppositely disposed lugs integral with exposed end of said head portion and extending toward said recess.

4. In a holder for assembling electrical connectors the combination comprising: first and second oppositely disposed jaws each having an inner surface parallel one with the other, said first jaw having a passage at one end perpendicular to its inner surface and said second jaw having a recess at its extreme end perpendicular to its inner surface the rear portion of which is concentric with the longitudinal axis of said passage; means connected to said jaws remote from said passage and said recess for advancing said jaws toward each other in parallel relationship; a hollow adaptor plug having a shank portion located in said passage and an enlarged head portion having a longitudinal axis located between said jaws and concentric with the longitudinal axis of said passage, the exposed end of said head portion having a cavity also concentric with the longitudinal axis of said passage and larger than the passage in said shank portion; and two oppositely disposed parallel lugs integral with the exposed end surface of said head portion and extending toward said recess to receive and hold a portion of said electrical connector in an aligned and non-rotatable position.

5. In a holder for assembling an electrical conductor for coaxial cables the combination comprising: first and second oppositely disposed jaws each having an inner surface parallel one with the other, said first jaw having a passage at one end perpendicular to its inner surface and said second jaw having a recess at its extreme end perpendicular to its inner surface the rear portion of which recess is concentric with the longitudinal axis of said passage for receiving a cable to be connected to said connector; means connected to said jaws remote from said passage and said recess for advancing said jaws toward each other in parallel relationship; an adaptor plug having an axial passage therethrough and a shank portion removably located in said passage and an enlarged head portion located between said jaws, the exposed end of said head portion having a cavity concentric with said axial passage; and two oppositely disposed parallel lugs integral with the exposed end surface of said head portion and extending toward said recess.

6. In a holder for assembling electrical connectors the combination comprising: two oppositely disposed jaws; means for advancing said jaws toward each other in parallel relationship; a recess in extreme end portion of one jaw; an adaptor plug carried by said other jaw, said adaptor plug having a passage concentric with the longitudinal axis of said recess; and two oppositely disposed lugs integral with said plug, said lugs being concentric with said passage and extending toward said recess.

7. In a holder for assembling electrical connectors, the combination comprising a pair of jaws, means for advancing said jaws toward each other, and an adapter plug carried by one of the jaws for receiving and holding an article, to b: connected, in an aligned and non-rotatable position, said adapter plug having a hollow shank portion located in a passage in said one of the jaws and an enlarged head portion located between the jaws and having a longitudinal axis coaxial with the longitudinal axis of said passage.

8. In a holder for assembling electrical connectors, the combination comprising a pair of jaws, means for advancing said jaws toward each other, and a hollow adapter plug carried by one of the jaws, said plug having a shank portion located in a passage in said one of the jaws and an enlarged head portion located between the jaws and having a longitudinal axis coaxial with the longitudinal axis of said passage, said head portion having a recess for receiving an article to be connected, and a pair of lugs located on said head portion on diametrically opposed sides of said recess and extending toward the other of said jaws for engagement with said article to be connected.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,062,986 Baxter Dec. 1, 1936 2,467,969 Debrot Apr. 19, 1949 2,858,601 Cummaro Nov. 4, 1958 

1. IN A HOLDER FOR ASSEMBLING ELECTRICAL CONNECTORS THE COMBINATION COMPRISING: FIRST AND SECOND OPPOSITELY DISPOSED JAWS, SAID FIRST JAW HAVING A PASSAGE AT ONE END AND SAID SECOND JAW HAVING A RECESS AT ITS EXTREME END THE REAR PORTION OF WHICH IS CONCENTRIC WITH THE LONGITUDINAL AXIS OF SAID PASSAGE; MEANS FOR ADVANCING SAID JAWS TOWARD EACH OTHER IN PARALLEL RELATIONSHIP; A HOLLOW ADAPTOR PLUG HAVING A SHANK PORTION LOCATED IN SAID PASSAGE AND A HEAD PORTION LOCATED BETWEEN SAID JAWS; AND TWO OPPOSITELY DISPOSED LUGS INTEGRAL WITH THE EXPOSED END OF SAID HEAD PORTION AND EXTENDING TOWARD SAID RECESS. 